Say Goodbye to Lala

LaLa, the website where so many music blogs and websites get their streams, will be shutting down on May 31.  This closing comes only 5 months after Apple bought the five year old site for $80 million.  Speculations as to why and what will happen surround the idea that iTunes is planning on launching some new form of web streaming service.  I guess more will come later.  If you already have an account you can listen to the songs you own through May 31 and iTunes is going to reimburse you for the amount you spent at Lala with a gift card for that amount to iTunes.  What is pitchfork going to do?

New Video: The Black Keys - "Next Girl"

Essentially a promo video for their new album Brothers out May 18th via Nonesuch.

New Blur and Sleigh Bells-1 Post

Yeah, they don't go together at all, but I heard them both yesterday so here ya go.

This is Blur's first new track in 7 years.  It was released for Record Store Day this year, and only 1,000 hard copies were made available.  Nice pop tune.
Blur - "Fool's Day"

Here is Sleigh Bells' new track off their upcoming debut album, Treats.  It's out May 11th via Mom + Pop and M.I.A's N.E.E.T. records.  I saw them at SXSW and they were a lot of fun.
Sleigh Bells - "Tell 'Em"

New Track: Interpol - "Lights"

Off their upcoming, as of yet to be titled, fourth studio album.

  

SPIN's 125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years

Hmmm...Interesting.  To celebrate 25 years of the mag, SPIN took a stab at ranking the 125 best albums of the past 25 years.  Take a peak here.  Any thoughts?

Best Coast - "Our Deal"

She just keeps killing it.  Check out her new track "Our Deal" here.  Seriously, need the full-length.

A Few First Listens

Catch a listen to the following new releases exclusively at NPR.

Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away- will be released May 4.  Great album. Listen here. 

The New Pornographers - Together- album will also be released on May 4th.  Listen here.

Couple of Videos

Track 1b off of our 50 Best Tracks of 2009 list (Blogger made us take it down), a special performance of "Kettering" by the Antlers.

New video from The xx for their great song "Islands", which was also in the top portion of the year end tracks list. May get a little repetitive with the dance sequence, but it apparently signifies the dissolution of a relationship. The cynic in me says whatever...

Dom

I don't know where to start with Dom - the leader of the band or the music. After hearing them I went over to Pitchfork and read one of the more ridiculous interviews I've seen. Dom is the leader of the band, but he won't tell anyone his last name because he apparently has a lot of debt. He's a pretty funny guy, and you can see that in the interview. Anyways, you can count the band as part of the wave of lo-fi music that just keeps coming. Based in Worchester, Massachusetts, they got together in January and have already released an EP titled Sun Bronzed Greek Gods. I've added the songs "Burn Bridges" and "Living in America" below. Their myspace page has more songs you can check out, which are also on the EP. I've been aware of this band for about five hours and I'm pretty sure this is going to be some of my favorite music of the year.

Dom - Burn Bridges

Dom - Living in America

Joe Pug live show

Download Joe Pug's 17 song live show at The ArtsCenter in Corrboro, NC here.  Or listen to it below.

The Kissaway Trail

I have to admit that some pretty good stuff is coming out of the nordic region of the world these days.  I posted about the Finnish outfit Rubik and their fantastic album Da Da Bandits.  Today I heard a band called The Kissaway Trail who have a similar big instrumental sound and lofty vocals that is real easy to enjoy.  The Kissaway Trail is out of Denmark and are releasing their second full-length album, and as far as I can tell US debut, today called Sleep Mountain.  Comparisons with Polyphonic Spree and The Arcade Fire puts them in pretty good company.  Go to their myspace to hear more of their music.  You can stream the full album here.

The Kissaway Trail - "SDP"

New Video: Best Coast - "When I'm With You"

I'm a pretty big fan of this band.  We've posted about them a couple of times in the past.  She's got a pretty great twitter account as well.  Follow her.  Impatiently awaiting her 2010 full length LP.

Gauntlet Hair

No, Gauntlet Hair not the best band name I've ever come across. But I heard this song on XMU the other day and it rocked my socks off. They are working on what I think will be their debut album from Forest Family Records. If you're into vinyl, they have a 7" with this and another track coming out next month-ish. In the meantime, you can download this song from the Forest Family website for free.

Gauntlet Hair - I Was Thinking...

Scavenge through the under $5 bin...

In my break time I did a little scavenging through the under $5 bin at amazon and came up with a few albums you may want to get.

Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young
Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing
Miles Davis - 10 Greatest Hits
Bon Iver - Blood Bank
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP
Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind EP
Lissie - Why You Runnin'
Death Cab for Cutie - The Open Door EP
Thom Yorke - FeelingPulledApartByHorses
We Were Promised Jetpacks! - The Last Place You'll Look

Bon Iver covers Peter Gabriel

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver followed up Peter Gabriel's cover of "Flume" with a cover of his own.  Released for Record Store Day (4/17), Vernon drops a very soft and melodic form of the 6:20 gem "Come Talk to Me."  Get it below.
http://www.mediafire.com/?izjzcmwn2m5

Here is a video of the original:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRLjpXLEp1A

New Video: Taylor Hildebrand - "After the Fall"

This new video from my buddy, Taylor Hildebrand, won the 2010 Music Video Showcase at Crossroads Film Festival, and is off his upcoming EP Nena.  The video was shot in and around Jackson, MS and was directed by Robby Piantanida.  Check out Dave Hutchison, Valley Gordon, and Jamie Weems contributing as well.

Full Hold Steady and Broken Social Scene Streams

The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Mos Dub

Max Tannone, mastermind behind Jaydiohead who we have posted about here and here and here has dropped another pretty sweet mash-up entitled Mos Dub.  The production remixes Mos Def over some of the most popular dub reggae tracks.  It has lead me perfectly into the hotter time of the year.

 Listen to "In My Math"
Mos Dub - 04 - In My Mathbymaxtannone

Download entire album for free @ www.mosdub.com.

The Antlers - Free!

The Antlers released a two song EP called New York Hospitals along with a video for their song "Sylvia".  Grab The Antlers fantastic album Hospice.

 

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

He may not save mankind as planned, but Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are making some fantastic music. The brainchild of Alex Ebert encompasses a stage full of musicians, and they have put out some hot tracks. Props to Liz for the heads up. Check out “Home” and “40 Day Dream” on the playlist. I hope they keep ‘em coming…

Buy their album -->  Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

View their tiny desk concert here.  It's great.

Grit Music on Facebook

Grit Music can now be followed and shared on Facebook.  Join Grit Music here or click the tiny script in the top right corner of the blog to follow along!  Also, don't forget, you can follow us on twitter @gritmusicblog.

Free download

Tobacco - Fresh Hex (Featuring Beck)

TREME

A slight shift of cultural medium has led me to blog about the new HBO series TREME which premiered this past Sunday.  The show follows the post Katrina recovery of one of New Orleans oldest neighborhoods, Treme, a true melting pot of Black and creole music and culture.  The music is fantastic and the story is intriguing after the first episode.  Watch the trailer below (excuse the language).  Also, I posted a song by Louis Prima below the trailer to give you a good taste of the New-Orleans fusion jazz that is rampant in the show.  In the words of Miley Cyrus, it has me "swinging my hips like yeah."  Enjoy.

   

Buona Sera - Louis Prima

      

Josh Ritter, William Fitzsimmons

If you like a little folkier or melodic sound, then Daytrotter has your cup of tea this week.  Get free recordings from Josh Ritter and William Fitzsimmons.

LCD Soundsystem full stream

You can peep the new LCD Soundsystem album This is Happening here. 

An album you need...

The Tallest Man on Earth, whose 2008 album Shallow Graveis a must have and one of my favorite and most listened to albums of the past five years, has released his second full-length album called The Wild Hunt.  
The album didn't catch my immediate attention like the first album did, but after several listens I have once again fallen for this Swede's Dylan inspired anthems.  Songs like "Burden of Tomorrow" and "King of Spain" could easily fit on Shallow Grave while a few of the others like "Kids on the Run," which incorporates a piano, has a noticeably different feel.  This is an album you need in your collection.  You can stream the full album here.

Buy -->  The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

Listen - "King of Spain"

Surfer Blood Video, Band of Horses song, and Jeff Beck album

Also, buy Jeff Beck's brand new album Emotion & Commotion (MP3 Exclusive) for $4.99 (TODAY ONLY). You can stream it here.

ALSO, check out the new Band of Horses song below:

 

Band of Skulls

I caught the tail end of this British trio's set when they opened for The Whigs last weekend and was very impressed. With tight chemistry and a chick bassist, Band of Skulls should be one to watch. A track was added to the playlist...

LCD Soundsystem leak two more tracks

Two more tracks from LCD Soundsystem's forthcoming album This Is Happening have leaked their way onto the tri-w.  "I Can Change" and "Dance Yrself Clean" can be heard below.  I hope they are better than "Drunk Girls."  Yeah, I said it....

LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean
LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change

Pre-Order:  This Is Happening

Hey Champ

Check out the following singles from Chicago synth-pop trio Hey Champ.  Get them free below.  Light and easy...

 

Deer Tick announce album, give away song

Deer Tick has announced the release of their third album The Black Dirt Sessions which will be out June 8.  Here is the track listing with number 2 "Twenty Miles" available for free download.

01 “Choir of Angels”
02 “Twenty Miles”
03 “Goodbye, Dear Friend”
04 “Piece By Piece, Frame By Frame”
05 “Sad Sun”
06 “Mange”
07 “When She Comes Home”
08 “Hand In My Hand”
09 “I Will Not Be Myself”
10 “Blood Moon”
11 “Christ Jesus”

She & Him play "In the Sun" for Letterman

Buy She & Him's new album Volume Two.

Colleen Green

When I went to SXSW w/ Dead Gaze, they played this show at a place called the House of Commons in Austin, which is this pretty radical hippie commune.  Opening the show and surprising us all was a sweet girl, Colleen Green, with just her guitar and a beat machine.  She writes some pretty great pop gems, and has a 6 song EP called 4 Loko 2 Kayla, and you can snag it for free here.  Head over to her myspace and sample some of the tunes.  I highly recommend "Green One", "Dance the Night Away", "Y Do U Call Me", and "I'm Leaving it up to you".  Check it out.  She rules.

K'NAAN mixtape

Somalian rapper K'NAAN first caught my attention with his song Take A Minute off his album Troubadour.  The song which I found via a Tiny Desk Concert has a catchy beat mixed with piano tunes.  I found the whole album to be equally enjoyable.

ANYWAY, K'NAAN, in keeping with the current hip-hop trend, released a mixtape 'trilogy' that tributes Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician/activist who is "arguably the most influential artist to emerge from Africa this century", Bob Marley, and Bob Dylan.  The mixtape was released in three parts and then combined into a deluxe edition and called The Messengers.  You can read a pretty cool interview about the whole project here.  The mixtape is available for free and, although I have not had much time to listen, it is well worth the 5 minutes of download time and 165 mb of space.

Get --->  K'NAAN - The Messengers

Listen to "Take a Minute"

Bass Drum of Death on P4k

You can download Mississippi's own Bass Drum of Death at Pitchfork these days.  The free track is "Get Found."  Good news for the Oxford duo.

NAS remix

NAS has a new album coming out called Distant Relatives where he collaborates with Damien Marley, but everyone needs to pick up this new track where he remixes Gil Scott-Heron's song "NY is Killing Me." Pretty cool bluesy track.  Get it here for free.  Thanks to PASTE for the heads up.

Mates of State cover Girls, Belle and Sebastian, Death Cab....

Mates of State are releasing an all covers album called Crushes with the following track listings.  You can stream the album at their site. 

Crushes (The Covers Mixtape):
01 Laura (Girls)
02 Son et Lumiere (The Mars Volta)
03 Sleep the Clock Around (Belle and Sebastian)
04 Technicolor Girls (Death Cab for Cutie)
05 Long Way Home (Tom Waits)
06 Love Letter (Nick Cave)
07 Second Hand News (Fleetwood Mac)
08 17 Pink Sugar Elephants (Vashti Bunyan)
09 Roller Coaster Ride (Dear Nora)
10 True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston)

You can get the first single for free by signing up below and having it emailed to you.  The husband and wife duo first found a place in my music catalog with the catchy album Re-arrange Us.

 

Live Wilco

Check out a live stream of Wilco's sold out show in Concord, NH tomorrow night around 7pm CST. Click here if you're interested...

Buy This Week's New Releases

If you have visited Grit Music lately you might have seen that you can now purchase the albums we recommend right off of our site.  The direct link to amazon will take you right to the checkout counter.  Simply click on the CD title and it will take you there.  Here are this weeks new releases worth considering.

Jonsi - Go

Dr. Dog - Shame Shame

Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can

Jakob Dylan - Women And Country





*Some of these albums are available for stream in a post below*